--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Being a rock musician is already like…" description: "\"Being a rock musician is already like ego-tripping hardcore. You're self-consumed, and you're always thinking. It's really easy to say, \"I'm going to w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d0/ryan-adams-3854_always-thinking_being-a-rock-musician-is-already-like-eg_575221.jpg" --- # Being a rock musician is already like ego-tripping… ![“Being a rock musician is already like ego-tripping hardcore. You're self-consumed, and you're always thinking. It's really easy to say, "I'm going to write a song about this situation, and when I'm done, everyone will care." To everybody else, that's ego-tripping.” quote by Ryan Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d0/ryan-adams-3854_always-thinking_being-a-rock-musician-is-already-like-eg_575221.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d0/ryan-adams-3854_always-thinking_being-a-rock-musician-is-already-like-eg_575221.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d0/ryan-adams-3854_always-thinking_being-a-rock-musician-is-already-like-eg_575221.jpg) > “Being a rock musician is already like ego-tripping hardcore. You're self-consumed, and you're always thinking. It's really easy to say, "I'm going to write a song about this situation, and when I'm done, everyone will care." To everybody else, that's ego-tripping.” [Ryan Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-adams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes how a musician’s ego can dominate creative work, making self‑absorption a double‑edged sword. **In simple terms:** Ego fuels creativity but can become self‑obsession. Key Takeaway Channel ego into productive creation. Themes ego creativity music self‑reflection Mood reflective critical Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - songwriting - performing - collaborative projects - personal branding Key Concepts artistic identity psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you keep ego in check while staying authentic? - What practices help balance self‑focus with listener connection? A Different Perspective Ego may blind you to audience needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always-thinking/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Ego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Musician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musician/) [Rock music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock-music/) [Rock musicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock-musicians/) [Rocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rocks/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I liked rock music going back to the '60s, but I never ever had any desire to be a rock musician and when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-branca/i-liked-rock-music-going-back-to-the-60s-but-i-never-ever-had-any/) [Glenn Branca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-branca/) > [That's the gamble that you make when you decide to become a rock musician. It's totally unpredictable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-joe-armstrong/that-s-the-gamble-that-you-make-when-you-decide-to-become-a-rock/) [Billie Joe Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-joe-armstrong/) > [Maybe I'm ego-tripping, but I don't find myself a particularly horrible person, so I don't think I need to hold back anything I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/maybe-i-m-ego-tripping-but-i-don-t-find-myself-a-particularly/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [Whenever you take the time to inspire someone, to aid them in their inner search, you'll find energy will come back to you -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/whenever-you-take-the-time-to-inspire-someone-to-aid-them-in-their/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“ Ego Tripping I was born in the congo I walked to the fertile crescent and built the sphinx I designed a pyramid so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-giovanni/ego-tripping-i-was-born-in-the-congo-i-walked-to-the-fertile-crescent/) [Nikki Giovanni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-giovanni/) > [I'd become a corporate rock musician. I worked for 'Chris Rea.' He felt like another person. I even talked about him in the third…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/i-d-become-a-corporate-rock-musician-i-worked-for-chris-rea-he-felt/) [Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/) > [Growing up, I fantasized about being a rock musician and that somehow it would be really easy. I didn't realize that it's so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/growing-up-i-fantasized-about-being-a-rock-musician-and-that-somehow/) [Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/) > [A rock musician's career is short-lived. To extend it, you need to do other things to keep yourself fresh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/a-rock-musician-s-career-is-short-lived-to-extend-it-you-need-to-do/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [For a composer of concert music, 40 is actually very young. But for a rock musician, 40 is almost past due, where you think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dessner/for-a-composer-of-concert-music-40-is-actually-very-young-but-for-a/) [Bryce Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dessner/) > [I have always felt I was more accurately a Hard Rock musician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geddy-lee/i-have-always-felt-i-was-more-accurately-a-hard-rock-musician/) [Geddy Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geddy-lee/) > [Being a classical musician, you can go to school for it; you can go get a degree. Even as a composer, there is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dessner/being-a-classical-musician-you-can-go-to-school-for-it-you-can-go-get/) [Bryce Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dessner/) > [I don't have any desire to do something that sounds explicitly rock. Like, I don't have a burning need to be a rock musician.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-gordon/i-don-t-have-any-desire-to-do-something-that-sounds-explicitly-rock/) [Kim Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-gordon/) > [Rock's always been the devil's music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/rock-s-always-been-the-devil-s-music/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [“Whenever an art form loses its fire, when it gets weakened by intellectual inbreeding and first principles fade into stale tradition, a radical fringe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/whenever-an-art-form-loses-its-fire-when-it-gets-weakened-by/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [A lot of people think that punk rock musicians don't know what they're doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-barker/a-lot-of-people-think-that-punk-rock-musicians-don-t-know-what-they/) [Travis Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-barker/) ## More by Ryan Adams > [I was never much of a bass player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-adams/i-was-never-much-of-a-bass-player/) [Ryan Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-adams/) > [Ultimately, however bad a situation is for people, especially if it's a condition of love or some internal dialogue, I think most people would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-adams/ultimately-however-bad-a-situation-is-for-people-especially-if-it-s-a/) [Ryan Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-adams/) > [I am aware of the depths of heartache I'm experiencing but also how foolish it is to think that the things we have are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-adams/i-am-aware-of-the-depths-of-heartache-i-m-experiencing-but-also-how/) [Ryan Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-adams/) > [I'm a big music fan outside of the music I make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-adams/i-m-a-big-music-fan-outside-of-the-music-i-make/) [Ryan Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-adams/) > [Most of my songs are pretty sketchy. There's not a lot of bass sections. I don't write big bridges. Sometimes I'll try. But it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-adams/most-of-my-songs-are-pretty-sketchy-there-s-not-a-lot-of-bass/) [Ryan Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-adams/) > [A lot of my songs, they're like puzzle pieces, and there's just one way to put them together. You could, if you needed to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-adams/a-lot-of-my-songs-they-re-like-puzzle-pieces-and-there-s-just-one-way/) [Ryan Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-adams/) > [Sometimes an idea from six years ago will come to me out of the blue. And maybe I haven't even seen the lyrics I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-adams/sometimes-an-idea-from-six-years-ago-will-come-to-me-out-of-the-blue/) [Ryan Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-adams/) > [The weirdest thing I've been fascinated with nowadays is the new contemporary country music, which to me sounds like very strange '70s pop, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-adams/the-weirdest-thing-i-ve-been-fascinated-with-nowadays-is-the-new/) [Ryan Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-adams/) > [Writing and creating, those things come to me on their own. I feel like... you sort of summon them and it's like allowing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-adams/writing-and-creating-those-things-come-to-me-on-their-own-i-feel-like/) [Ryan Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-adams/) > [To make a song is a gift, and once it's done it keeps evolving and changing and becomes a tool to interact with other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-adams/to-make-a-song-is-a-gift-and-once-it-s-done-it-keeps-evolving-and/) [Ryan Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-adams/) > [I like to read comics, and I'll listen to records, and I like to play pinball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-adams/i-like-to-read-comics-and-i-ll-listen-to-records-and-i-like-to-play/) [Ryan Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-adams/) > [I could fall asleep at 10:30 watching 'Hill Street Blues.' I might wake up at 1 A.M. and have a riff in my head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-adams/i-could-fall-asleep-at-10-30-watching-hill-street-blues-i-might-wake/) [Ryan Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-adams/) > [Some things were made to be felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-adams/some-things-were-made-to-be-felt/) [Ryan Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-adams/) > [A lot of the songs I write are like songs that I've never been able to find on any record, but that I've always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-adams/a-lot-of-the-songs-i-write-are-like-songs-that-i-ve-never-been-able/) [Ryan Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-adams/) > [When I'm in New York, I just want to walk down the street and feel this thing like I'm in a movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-adams/when-i-m-in-new-york-i-just-want-to-walk-down-the-street-and-feel/) [Ryan Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-adams/) [Explore all 120 Ryan Adams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-adams/) ## More Always thinking quotes > [You're always thinking, "What does that add up to?" You can't really get a handle on it. I was curious. I felt like it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hell/you-re-always-thinking-what-does-that-add-up-to-you-can-t-really-get/) [Richard Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hell/) > [I am not a finisher, I am a starter. And I am always thinking, what is the next project.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-eisenman/i-am-not-a-finisher-i-am-a-starter-and-i-am-always-thinking-what-is/) [Peter Eisenman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-eisenman/) > [I think it's important to know what you're going to do with the ball before it comes to you. So you're always thinking before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-van-der-vaart/i-think-it-s-important-to-know-what-you-re-going-to-do-with-the-ball/) [Rafael van der Vaart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-van-der-vaart/) > [People who are always thinking of the feelings of others can be very destructive because they are hiding so much from themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/may-sarton/people-who-are-always-thinking-of-the-feelings-of-others-can-be-very/) [May Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/may-sarton/) > [I am always thinking 'What am I doing here? Is this the way I am supposed to feel?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-am-always-thinking-what-am-i-doing-here-is-this-the-way-i-am/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I'm always thinking about that young girl or young boy who doesn't quite know if their music, their messaging, their imaging, their voice is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-m-always-thinking-about-that-young-girl-or-young-boy-who-doesn-t/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [We're trying, despite having done research and having obviously preconceived ideas, we try our best to be as open-hearted as possible, and try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-page/we-re-trying-despite-having-done-research-and-having-obviously/) [Ellen Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-page/) > [I'm always thinking of ideas and sounds. I am waiting on something new and dope to inspire me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-ink/i-m-always-thinking-of-ideas-and-sounds-i-am-waiting-on-something-new/) [Kid Ink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-ink/) > [I want to feel like the things I did made a difference. That's one of the reasons I spend time greeting people on rope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/i-want-to-feel-like-the-things-i-did-made-a-difference-that-s-one-of/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [Successful people are always thinking about what they can do to move to the next level. Initiative is the drive to do it -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-bartiromo/successful-people-are-always-thinking-about-what-they-can-do-to-move/) [Maria Bartiromo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-bartiromo/) > [Meditation is one of the rare occasions when we're not doing anything. Otherwise, we're always doing something, we're always thinking something, we're always occupied.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzongsar-jamyang-khyentse-rinpoche/meditation-is-one-of-the-rare-occasions-when-we-re-not-doing-anything/) [Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzongsar-jamyang-khyentse-rinpoche/) > [The only reason why we are always thinking of our own ego is that we have to live with it more continuously than with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/the-only-reason-why-we-are-always-thinking-of-our-own-ego-is-that-we/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [I'm not a nosy person, but I'm always thinking 'I wonder why he did that? I wonder why this week he was this much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-douglas/i-m-not-a-nosy-person-but-i-m-always-thinking-i-wonder-why-he-did/) [Jill Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-douglas/) > [Fiction writing is a twenty-four-hou r-a-day occupation. You never leave your work behind. It is always with you, and to some extent, you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/fiction-writing-is-a-twenty-four-hou-r-a-day-occupation-you-never/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [I tend to write about love because I'm always thinking about it. I think a lot though and struggle with overanalyzing. Way over. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jillian-hervey/i-tend-to-write-about-love-because-i-m-always-thinking-about-it-i/) [Jillian Hervey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jillian-hervey/) [Browse all 94 Always thinking quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always-thinking/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Being a rock musician is already like ego-tripping hardcore. You're self-consumed, and you're always thinking. It's really easy to say, \"I'm going to write a song about this situation, and when I'm done, everyone will care.\" To everybody else, that's ego-tripping.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ryan Adams" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-adams/being-a-rock-musician-is-already-like-ego-tripping-hardcore-you-re/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Always thinking" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-adams/being-a-rock-musician-is-already-like-ego-tripping-hardcore-you-re/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d0/ryan-adams-3854_always-thinking_being-a-rock-musician-is-already-like-eg_575221.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d0/ryan-adams-3854_always-thinking_being-a-rock-musician-is-already-like-eg_575221.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d0/ryan-adams-3854_always-thinking_being-a-rock-musician-is-already-like-eg_575221.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Being a rock musician is already like ego-tripping hardcore. You're self-consumed, and you're always…” — Ryan Adams", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ryan Adams", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-adams/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Being a rock musician is already...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-adams/being-a-rock-musician-is-already-like-ego-tripping-hardcore-you-re/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-adams/being-a-rock-musician-is-already-like-ego-tripping-hardcore-you-re/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```